Distance Education Capacities of Universities During the Covid-19 Pandemic Process

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic emerging in China has affected and continues to affect the whole world widely. The returns of the pandemic were deeply reflected in educational institutions. In Turkey, along with primary, secondary and high schools, instruction in universities is tried to be carried out by distance and alternative education methods. In this context, the main purpose of this study is to determinate and evaluate distance education capacities of universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study is expected to contribute to the higher education system and the development of distance education applications by evaluating the distance education capacities of Turkish universities and determining a realistic situation regarding the current process. In line with this purpose, the distance education capacities, human resources, software and hardware infrastructures, budgets and future projections of 30 universities, 20 of which are state universities and 10 foundation universities, were examined according to the number of students. The data were obtained using the “Distance Education Capacity Assessment Form” developed within the scope of the study. The findings and results of the research showed that distance education capacities of universities in Turkey, in terms of human resource, hardware and software infrastructure and capacity, content capacity, test infrastructure and capacity and budgets- were low and inadequate. In addition, it was observed that qualifications of the distance education center of the universities did not differ significantly in terms of the type, size and age of the university. This study offers policy makers alternatives and methods for data-based applications in terms of shaping the future of distance education in higher education and applying in similar emergencies. 

Keywords

• Higher Education, Turkey, universities, COVID-19, pandemic, distance education, capacity.

Covid-19 Pandemisi Sürecince Üniversitelerin Uzaktan Eğitim Kapasiteleri

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı; COVID-19 pandemisi sürecinde üniversitelerin uzaktan eğitim kapasitelerinin belirlenmesi ve değerlendirilmesidir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda çalışmada öğrenci büyüklüklerine göre 20’si devlet üniversitesi 10’u vakıf üniversitesi olarak toplamda 30 üniversitenin uzaktan eğitim kapasiteleri, insan kaynakları, yazılım ve donanım altyapıları, bütçeleri ve gelecek projeksiyonları inceledi. Çalışmada veriler, çalışma kapsamında geliştirilen ‘Uzaktan Eğitim Kapasitesi Değerlendirme Formu’ kullanılarak elde edildi. Sonuçlar Türkiye’deki üniversitelerin uzaktan eğitimde insan kaynakları, donanım ve yazılım alt yapıları ve kapasiteleri, içerik üretim kapasiteleri, sınav alt yapıları ve kapasiteleri ve bütçeleri açısından düşük ve yetersiz olduğu gösterdi. Ek olarak üniversitelerin uzaktan eğitim merkezlerinin yeterlilikleri üniversite türü, büyüklüğü ve yaşı açısından anlamlı olarak farklılaşmadığı görüldü.

Keywords

• Yükseköğretim
• COVID-19
• uzaktan eğitim

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